Be My Guardian
by jayhogartismyangel
Summary: It all started with a few bruises.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello**

**Chapter One:The Unexplainable Bruise**

Clare Edwards looked at Alli. "What?" She asked of her friend.

"That bruise. The one on your arm. How did you get it?" Alli asked her,staring at the black and blue mark that stood out against the inside of her friend's arm. It clashed horribly with the tone of her skin.

"Oh." Clare said that single word in what seemed to be complete puzzlement. Truth be told,she had no clue as to how she'd acquired the bruise on her arm. She didn't remember slamming into anything hard,nor did she remember even hitting into something. And she was certain that it hadn't been there yesterday. "I guess I must've hit my arm into something while I was asleep. I don't remember any other way I could've gotten it." She told her dark haired friend carefully,tracing the marking with the tips of her short,slim fingers.

Alli's brown eyes narrowed worriedly. She'd have to check the internet for any sort of explanation. Somehow,she didn't think that an explanation for the bruise could be so simple. She shrugged one shoulder and turned her attention to the board where Mr Armstrong stood.

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Clare walked into her bedroom afterschool,completely forgetting Alli's question about her arm as she pulled her hair out of the twist it had been styled in and then peeled off the t-shirt that she wore. She went to her dressed to pull out a long t-shirt that she slept in. She froze when she caught herself in the full length mirror across from the dresser. The long shirt dangled precariously in her hands as she stared at her reflection. She was so pale! Paler than her natural skin tone and there was a bruise on the lower part of her back,right above her rear. She frowned as her hand went to touch the bruise. She didn't remember getting this one either. This was getting so odd. Slowly,Clare pulled the shirt over her head as her hands,her shaking hands went to unzip and unbutton her skinny jeans as she stepped out of them and pulled a pair of hot pink,cotton pajama pants on as well.

She went to her bed and got her copy of Romeo and Juliet out of her bookbag and began to read. She was already halfway through when a soft knock and then her door opening caught her attention.

Mrs Edwards stood there and smiled at her daughter. "Hey sweetheart. Dinner will be ready in an hour." She said softly.

Clare smiled. "Okay mom. I just gotta finish reading this. It's a really good story." She said with eager,blue eyes.

Mrs Edwards laughed and walked over to the bed,running a hand through her daughters hair. "Ahh. I read that when I was your age."

"Alli loves it too. KC rolls his eyes at it." Clare giggled as she mentioned her friends. Her laughter stopped when she saw her mother eyeing the bruise that stood out on her arm. "Mom?" She inquired worriedly,waving her hand infront of her mother's face.

Her mom shook her head and gave her daughter a smile,patting Clare's knee. "I'm going to check dinner."

"Okay." Clare said in answer,feeling suspicious.

As she shut the door behind her,Mrs Edwards closed her eyes and leaned back,feeling as if she might cry. Her daughter was showing the same signs that her mother had shown when she was a little girl. Going over to the phone,she picked it up and dialed. "Hello? Dr Rinaldo? I have to make an appoitment for Clare."

**Next Chapter:Doctor's visit,Alli learns,results**


	2. Chapter 2

**Be My Guardian**

**Chapter Two**

Clare chewed at her nails nervously as she and her parents waited for the doctor. She wished that KC were here. He'd surely have been able to lend her the courage that she needed to get through this.

Her mother sat in a hard plastic chair,clutching at her husband--Clare's father's hand for dear life as Clare was called in to an exam room.

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Meanwhile,Alli was on the internet searching for a reason behind the purple bruises that decorated Clare's arm. She knew that it wasn't because of Clare tripping or anything. Her friend could walk in heels and not fall so she certainly wasn't clumsy. And she didn't play sports and her parents weren't the least bit abusive. Neither was her boyfriend KC so it was certainly puzzling as to how such a careful girl could acquire such horrible looking bruises.

She was just about to call off her search when she suddenly saw something that made her eyes widen in horror and a sob catch in her throat that she tried desperately to conceal with her hand. Alli hadn't thought the answer would be so terrifying or dangerous and yet here it was,written in black and white on the screen of her family computer. Her hand grasped for the phone that sat next to the keyboard shakily. She had to call KC and Connor. They needed to know what she had found out.

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"Calm down Clare." The doctor said as he examined the girl carefully.

She could only nod and listen to what the doctor suggested although she felt an overwhelming terror fill her up inside. She was terrified of what the doctor's assesment would be. So very terrified.

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"So your positive that this is what Clare has?" KC asked,swallowing his tears as he searched Alli's eyes--almost hopefully for her to tell him no.

Alli nodded solemnly,squeezing her eyes shut against the tears.

Connor just stared at the screen as if in some horrible trance. Why was this happening to Clare of all people? Why her? What had she done so impossibly wrong?

"We can't tell Clare." Alli said,causing the two boys standing on either side of her to look at her incrediculously.

She noticed their looks and said,"If we are reacting this way when we _don't_ have it---how do you think Clare would react? She has to find out on her own. She has an appointment today."

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It was days after this when Mr and Mrs Edwards received the news that would change everything.

"Mrs Edwards?" The doctor asked warily into the phone,he always hated having to tell someone news like this.

"Yes?" Mrs Edwards answered.

"Could you bring your daughter in today? We have the results of Clare's test and I'd like to tell you it in person so you consider your options." He said.

"Options?" She muttered questioningly a tug of horror clenching at her heart.

"I am afraid so. So could you please come down?" Were his final words as he hung up the phone and stared at the folder that would change a family's world and tear it apart. Sometimes he regretted being a doctor.

**Next Chapter:Clare gets answers and begins a long road of treatment,KC gives Clare hope,Darcy comes back and meets KC.**

**A/N:Just a quick update before I leave for vacation. Next Chapter will be posted on Friday when I get back.**


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